Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G85

The Olympus PEN E-PL9 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 (labelled Panasonic G80 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in February 2018 and September 2016. Both the E-PL9 and the G85 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 15.8 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-PL9 and the
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors,
their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G85

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-PL9 and the Panasonic G85. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-PL9 can be obtained in four different colors (black, brown, blue, white), while the G85 is
only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Panasonic G85 is considerably larger (43 percent) than the Olympus E-PL9. Moreover, the G85 is markedly heavier (33 percent) than the E-PL9. It is noteworthy in this context that the G85 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-PL9 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses.
You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left
arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and
make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-PL9 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the G85, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G85

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor
(sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras
that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-PL9 offers a slightly higher
resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 15.8 MP of the G85.
This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.3 percent gain in linear resolution.
On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-PL9 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.77μm for the G85). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-PL9 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the G85, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the G85 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Olympus PEN E-PL9 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Olympus E-PL9»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL9

Panasonic G85«

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

4K/30p

22.8

12.5

656

71

Panasonic G85

Olympus E-M10 III«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M1 II«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/30p

23.7

12.8

1312

80

Olympus E-M1 II

Olympus E-PL8«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

-

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

23.0

12.5

842

73

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M10 II«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

23.1

12.5

842

73

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-PL7«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.7

12.4

873

72

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-P5«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.4

895

72

Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-PL6«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

-

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL6

Olympus E-PL5«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.3

889

72

Olympus E-PL5

Olympus E-PM2«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.7

12.2

932

72

Olympus E-PM2

Olympus E-PL2«»

Four Thirds

12.2

4032

3024

720/30p

21.4

10.2

573

55

Olympus E-PL2

Olympus E-PL3«»

Four Thirds

12.2

4032

3024

1080/60i

20.9

10.3

499

52

Olympus E-PL3

Olympus E-PL1«»

Four Thirds

12.2

4032

3024

720/30p

21.5

10.1

487

54

Olympus E-PL1

Panasonic G95«»

Four Thirds

20.2

5184

3888

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Panasonic G95

Panasonic GX85«»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

4K/30p

22.9

12.6

662

71

Panasonic GX85

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison: Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G85

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the G85 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight.
In contrast, the E-PL9 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-PL9, the Panasonic G85, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Mech Shutter Speed

Shutter Flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Olympus E-PL9»

-

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.6

Y

Y

Olympus E-PL9

Panasonic G85«

2360

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

1/4000s

9.0

Y

Y

Panasonic G85

Olympus E-M10 III«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.6

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M1 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

18.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M1 II

Olympus E-PL8«»

-

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-M5 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

1/8000s

10.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M10 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-PL7«»

-

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-P5«»

-

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

1/8000s

9.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-PL6«»

-

n

3.0

460

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL6

Olympus E-PL5«»

-

n

3.0

460

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL5

Olympus E-PM2«»

-

n

3.0

460

fixed

Y

1/4000s

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PM2

Olympus E-PL2«»

-

n

3.0

460

fixed

n

1/4000s

3.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-PL2

Olympus E-PL3«»

-

n

3.0

460

tilting

n

1/4000s

5.5

n

Y

Olympus E-PL3

Olympus E-PL1«»

-

n

2.7

230

fixed

n

1/2000s

3.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-PL1

Panasonic G95«»

2360

n

3.0

1240

swivel

Y

1/4000s

9.0

Y

Y

Panasonic G95

Panasonic GX85«»

2765

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

1/4000s

8.0

Y

Y

Panasonic GX85

Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly
appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while
others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Olympus E-PL9 and the Panasonic G85 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to
capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-PL9 and the G85 write their files to SDXC cards. The G85 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the E-PL9 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison: Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G85

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Olympus E-PL9»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

Y

Olympus E-PL9

Panasonic G85«

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic G85

Olympus E-M10 III«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M1 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

3.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M1 II

Olympus E-PL8«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M10 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-PL7«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-P5«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-P5

Olympus E-PL6«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL6

Olympus E-PL5«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL5

Olympus E-PM2«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PM2

Olympus E-PL2«»

Y

stereo

-

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL2

Olympus E-PL3«»

Y

stereo

-

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL3

Olympus E-PL1«»

Y

stereo

-

-

-

mini

2.0

-

-

-

Olympus E-PL1

Panasonic G95«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

2.0

Y

-

Y

Panasonic G95

Panasonic GX85«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic GX85

It is notable that the G85 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings
by attaching an external microphone. The E-PL9 does not feature such a mic input.

The E-PL9 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Olympus.
In contrast, the G85 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the G85 was succeeded by the Panasonic G95. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official
Olympus and Panasonic websites.

Review summary: Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G85

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-PL9 better than the Panasonic G85 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus PEN E-PL9:

Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.

More compact: Is smaller (117x68mm vs 128x89mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.

Less heavy: Is lighter (by 125g or 25 percent) and hence easier to carry around.

More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2016).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G85 comes out slightly ahead of the E-PL9 (7 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-PL9 06:07 G85

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-PL9 and the Panasonic G85 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest
Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-PL9 or the G85 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews: Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G85

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.